Product Review

The De La Soul Dunk Ain't Dead. In 1989, Long Island trio De La Soul boldly announced their arrival on a burgeoning hip-hop scene with oodles of clever wordplay, a perfect grip of eclectic samples and a unique point of view the likes of which the genre had never seen before. The result was 3 Feet High and Rising, the group's classic debut album that largely bucked hip hop trends of the day in favour of a sound one could only characterise as more peace medallion than dookie gold chain. Posdnuos, Trugoy the Dove and PA Mase (aka Plugs 1, 2 and 3) eschewed the typical braggadocio-style of rhyming from that era with a more laid-back leftfield approach, simultaneously expanding any perceived limitations in hip-hop as well as the audience make-up of those who listen to it. Transmitting live from Mars, The DA.I.S.Y. Age (short for Da Inner Sound Ya'll) had officially begun. As long-time fans of both the group and their music, a fresh-faced Nike SB released a Dunk Low Premium SB in honor of De La's debut opus in 2005. A key release in SB's crucial early years, the collaboration quickly became one of the brand's most successful and sought-after releases.